INSIDe - Belhaven

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INSIDe: Big Time Blazer in The Big game | Think CenTer, BrighT idea

F e a T u r e s

d e p a r T m e n T s

Mississippi’s National Champion . . . . . 4Think Center, Bright Idea . . . . . . . . . . 8Flip 365 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Big Time Blazer in the Big Game . . . . 16

Campus News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Sports News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Alumni News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Content

FItzhugh hall renovations are in full swing. the foundation is poured, steel is going up, and the aluminum interior walls are taking shape. Visit blogs.belhaven.edu/fitzhugh to keep up-to-date on the progress.

We StIll NeeD your help! While we are moving ahead to complete Fitzhugh Hall by August, fundraising is on-going with one time gifts and three year pledges. pleaSe go to WWW.belhaVeN.eDu/gIVINg or cAll 601-968-5980

“... the world of ideas.”

That is the final phrase of our mission statement, “Belhaven University prepares students academically and spiritually to serve Christ Jesus in their careers, in human relationships, and in the world of ideas.”

Learning is not about fact, figures and skills – it is about ideas. The ideas that capture our imagination shape what we believe, how we behave and what we value.

Ideas matter.

At the University we teach for ideas, not for the test, so that students are prepared for an ever changing world. We are preparing their lives on a Christian Worldview foundation that will stand up to the tests of life.

Among our learning priorities, there are three unique opportunities for our students to grapple with the big questions of life.

1) Our required curriculum includes a course entitled “Ideas.”

Our two-year general core Worldview Curriculum offers an integrated study of the great movements and ideas in history, literature, the fine arts, Bible, philosophy, and theology.

The “Ideas” course is linked with the history course, so students understand the context of change throughout civilization, and are purposefully pulling out the big ideas to examine them in detail.

I don’t know of another university in America that requires a course like this for every student.

2) The Wynn Kenyon Think Center provides a platform for wrestling with ideas using cutting edge learning techniques and technology.

This issue of the Tartan describes this remarkable center in detail. I’m especially thankful for the generosity of board member, Leisha Pickering, whose significant gift allowed us to equip and expand the center in honor of Dr. Kenyon.

Wynn’s life and teaching was all about ideas, and I can’t imagine a more fitting tribute to him.

3) Broad survey courses in literature, history and the humanities are the most important context for learning.

A major national study, “What Will They Learn . . . A Guide to What College Rankings Don’t Tell You,” evaluates the quality of the core curriculum and importance of general education and reports that Belhaven University is among the top third of all schools when measured by what is going on inside the classroom.

They argue (and we agree) broad survey courses “give students a shared learning experience while ensuring the acquired fundamental skills and knowledge.”

The report tabulated that 81% of universities don’t require a course in American history or government, at 34% of universities, students can graduate without taking college level math, and at 17% of universities, students can complete a degree without a course in English composition.

The report gives specific examples:

• Berkeley—“Arts and Literature” requirement can be met with a course called, “Hollywood: the Place, the Industry, the Fantasy.”

• Penn—“Cross Cultural Analysis” requirement can be met by a course titled, “Monsters of Japan.”

• Furman—first year seminars include “Clothing as Self-Expression” and “Running and Being.”

The study’s analysis of Belhaven and over 1,000 other universities can be found at: WhatWillTheyLearn.com

Jonathan Edwards, preacher and theologian, said, “The ideas and images in men’s minds are the invisible powers that constantly govern them.” That is why, at Belhaven University, grappling with ideas is built into the core of our teaching.

p r e s i d e n T

Thinking aBouT hIgher eDucatIoN

mississippi’s

in 2012, the only university in Mississippi that could claim the distinction of being Mississippi’s only national champion was Belhaven university, when the men’s soccer team took home the 2012 nAiA Men’s soccer national championship.

It was the second national title in the program’s history and the third national title of any sport in Belhaven’s history.

This significant milestone also took place during the 20th anniversary season of the last national championship team, won in 1992 by the men’s soccer team. Before the season began, Belhaven head coach Brian McMahon

had warm up jerseys made for his team that simply said “92” to remind his players of the opportunity in their midst. Scott Little, Vice President for Athletics & Student Affairs, said, “For this to take place on the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Men’s Soccer title is a script you would write for a movie, and the ‘92 guys followed this

N at I o N a l champIoN

4 — Belhaven universiTy TarTan / 2013 issue 1 [ www.Belhaven.edu ] [ www.Belhaven.edu ] Belhaven universiTy TarTan / 2013 issue 1 — 5

team very closely, sharing the excitement while reliving their run to the title.” The message was clear, the chance to play for a National Championship does not come often and this helped inspire his players. In the final game, the Blazers faced off against the University of Mobile Rams who were seeded No. 11 in the championship field. The Rams had already met and beaten the Blazers, 3-1, in a regular season game in October. The Blazers focused their efforts on building a strong wall of defense with the help of key players like Tom Cosgrove, Defensive Player of the Tournament, and goalkeeper Carl Blundell who recorded four saves in the game. Victor Lawrence and Tom Cosgrove each scored goals for the Blazers in the championship final. Because of the Blazer’s disciplined defense and a series of strategic substitutions that gave 18 players championship action, they held the Rams scoreless in a 2-0 victory. The Blazers faced some of the toughest competition in all of the NAIA throughout the course of the season and beat six of the top ten teams in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll. They then battled their way through the

competition with five straight victories in the national tournament and ended the season with an overall 19-4-1 record. McMahon said, “We played 16 teams in the top 25 throughout the season, so our guys were definitely battle tested and we saw and were exposed to a lot of very good teams. I think that showed when we got to the national tournament.” McMahon also believed that team chemistry was a key factor in the success for the season and made the year special. He was very intentional about building relationships among team members. “Our guys spend intentional time together called ‘Forced Family Fun.’ It’s modeled after Messiah University and the theory is

that the better the team chemistry off the field, the better results on it.”

On “Forced Family Fun” outings the team does everything together from bowling and nature hikes to going out to eat and visiting museums. These team-building times have set rules like no cell phones unless taking a picture, only speaking in English and no subgroups. “We always say, even if we are going to the most boring place ever, we are going to have a good time and make the most of it because we are with each other.” Little added, “Coach McMahon demands team play and backs it up by giving lots of guys playing time throughout the year, so we were ready for the national championship. He stayed true to that philosophy, and the end result was a 2-0 win.” Eight Belhaven men’s soccer players earned Southern States Athletic Conference honors when the awards were announced by the league office. The Blazers had two representatives on the SSAC All-Conference Team in Will Monsour and Tom Cosgrove. Carl Blundell was named Second Team All-Conference. Monsour was a Third Team NAIA All-American while Cosgrove was an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American. Belhaven’s SSAC All-Academic team members were Carl Blundell, senior midfielder, Giovanni Correa, junior forward, Eduardo Cruz, junior midfielder Johnny Saye, senior midfielder Guilherme Sousa, and freshman defender Rodrigo Suarez. Coach McMahon, who just completed his first season at Belhaven, was named the 2012 Field Turf National Soccer Coaches Association of America/NAIA National Coach of the Year following the memorable 2012 season. McMahon came to Belhaven after spending the past 11 seasons as the head coach at Greenville College in Illinois. While at Greenville, McMahon helped build successful programs for both men’s and women’s soccer. The most challenging part for McMahon was laying the foundational blocks of his program at Belhaven.

“Coming into the first year the hope was just to develop a culture of success on and off the field, with how we carried ourselves. Our goal on the field was to play to a standard regardless of who we played and I felt the guys did a great job at that,” adds McMahon. Fan support for the men’s soccer team spread throughout the campus and followed the Blazers into the tournament. Students

filled Barber Auditorium to watch the Blazers beat Lindsey Wilson College 1-0 in the semifinal game. At the last second of the game students flooded the stage in celebration. That same enthusiasm and fan support carried into the championship game where fans for both teams beat drums, painted their faces and cheered loudly throughout the entire match. Both Belhaven and Mobile were rallied by significant fan attendance for the game. When the team returned from the championship game at 1:30 a.m. they stepped out of the bus to the cheers of the student body. McMahon said, “As a coach that was a special moment for me. I have been fortunate

to win a lot of conference and tournament games before but after winning the National Championship and getting off the bus and the student body was there singing and dancing, waiting to greet us in the parking lot was a special moment for me and the guys.” Little added, “Soccer is a big deal at Belhaven. The support of our students and the campus community has been tremendous, from viewing parties to the championship celebration and Chapel team recognition. National Championship T-shirts sold out quickly in the bookstore and they had to order another set to meet the demand. We even created a digital billboard media in the metro Jackson area honoring ‘Mississippi’s National Champion.’”

The attention the team received from the championship reached the Mayor and Jackson City Council. The City Council presented a Resolution of the City of Jackson that honored the team’s title and is now displayed in

McMahon’s office and in the president’s office.

We really do appreciate this,” said Belhaven University President Roger Parrott. “This is a big thing and it

is pretty significant to win a national championship at any level–especially at the level they play. I am an old goalkeeper

myself and the game we played is very different from the game these guys played.” Mayor Harvey Johnson was not shy in expressing his goal for Belhaven next year, joking he said, “How about a repeat? Is that too much pressure?” Belhaven will now spend the offseason reloading and preparing for a title defense in 2013. The Blazers goals for this year in soccer are set high and McMahon believes the team has a long way to go to reach those goals. “We want Belhaven to be the best place in the country to play soccer in the NAIA and we need to continue building the foundational blocks to make that happen.”


C E N T E RBright Idea

Many universities across the United States are reconsidering how physical space, technology and teaching can be better integrated for a greater impact on college education. Studies have shown that learning environments and facilities play a major role in education. Belhaven University was looking for a way to help students connect, get inspired and achieve a higher learning experience. What resulted set the University apart from the others. The Belhaven University Think Center, one of only two in the state, made its debut in the early spring of 2012 at the Warren Hood Library. The Think Center is a flexible and adaptable learning space that encourages collaborative thinking, where all students can meet, study, generate ideas and get academic support. Current research states that people are more engaged in their learning and thinking process when they have furnishings,

resources and surroundings that support it. Walking into the Think Center, one can instantly see the difference. Modern technology, movable furniture and interior design come together in a smorgasbord of bright colors and visual aesthetics, making it an inviting place for students. Dr. Erin Price, Assistant Vice President for Student Success, said, “Everything in the space is flexible and moveable. This means that users can – and are encouraged to – ‘design’ the workspaces around their needs. For example, areas in the center can easily be used for one or two students working quietly, or a group of students collaborating on a group project. Everything from the fabric to the furniture and equipment was researched and is meant to contribute to the learning environment. The Center features technology and plug-ins that make it convenient for students to utilize laptops and other devices.

Dr. Price adds, “The smart board, called the Eno, makes demonstrating media, the internet, and written content more convenient. Digital notes written on the Eno can even be saved to a flash drive and/or printed, which is one of the favorite features for instructors who have used the Think Center.” The work areas and collaborative technologies support students interacting with each other. The Center has additional high-tech equipment like several MacBooks and a media hub, but Dr. Price also believes the low-tech equipment like paper tables and whiteboards are a valuable resource. Students are able to see and map out their thoughts, whether on a piece of paper or a smart board. There are groups of students who come in to collaborate and study together. The media hub called Media Scape is a popular place for this kind of work because it allows up to four laptops to screen share with the simple click of a button. The Think Center is used in several different ways. Students come in to use the space in an unstructured way, working in their own timeframe and on their individual work. Faculty are utilizing the space for special projects and study sessions. Dr. Brenda Redfern, Assistant Professor of Business,

has used the Think Center for her classes and has already seen improvements in her students’ participation. She said, “The Think Center is fabulous. During the class time, I had them working problems and utilizing the technology as we reviewed. They got up on the smart board to work problems and split up into groups to solve problems. In the classroom it is intimidating, but in here they are less afraid to make a mistake.“ Students are also coming in to the Center to meet with tutors. Several of the academic tutoring labs utilize space for some or all of their tutoring sessions. Some of the Student Success staffers have offices located in the Center and are a source of information and help on study habits, time management or any other issue of academic success. Since the conception of the Think Center the response has been a good one and in just one semester over 500 students and faculty have utilized it. Price said, “Students seem to be embracing the space as theirs, which is exactly what was intended. The center has become a prominent feature on tours with prospective students and their families. In fact, an ambassador recently told the family she was hosting that students are ‘so proud of our Think Center,’ which

is the ultimate compliment. It seems that most students know about the center and where it is and more and more are seeing it as a resource for academic support, whether that be through tutoring services, meeting with staff, or just as a place to come work individually.” Dr. Price is seeing student success on an individual level. Students are gaining confidence in the learning process as they explore how they learn, get feedback on papers and class assignments, and work with other students. She also sees the greatest “success” in the number of Think Center visits. The visits confirm the growing need for this type of space in the academic journey of Belhaven’s students. Just like the walls, the future looks bright for the Think Center. “We plan to continue working with faculty, staff, and students to implement initiatives focused on helping students becoming better and better learners, and thereby more successful individuals. Anytime a student adds to their knowledge base, whether it’s understanding a new concept or knowing where to go for assistance, it makes them more successful,” adds Dr. Price.

Dr. Erin Price Assistant Vice President

for Student Success

WyNN KeNyoN

thINK ceNter

To Be dediCaTed on april 4.

The entire Belhaven community is invited to attend the dedication of the wynn kenyon Think Center on april 4, 2013 at 4 p.m. in the hood library on campus. a generous gift was made by a board of trustee member leisha pickering to have the Think Center named in memory of dr. wynn kenyon. pickering commented, “dr. kenyon had a profound impact on the life of my oldest son will. i know that many past students of dr. kenyon’s developed a love for deep thinking based on their interactions with this godly man.”dr. kenyon was known far and wide for his love of learning and his passion for equipping the future generations to be prepared with the Truth of god.


C a m p u s News

recorD eNrollmeNtBelhaven University’s fall enrollment shattered all previous records with a total of 3,725 students across all seven campuses. This is an increase of 433 students over last year, and a one-year jump over 13%. The University enrolled 1,150 traditional age students (18-22) on the main Jackson campus. When combined with the University’s 930 adult and graduate students at the Lefleur’s Bluff building on I-55 North, Belhaven is serving nearly 2,100 students in Jackson. Enrollment for Belhaven’s branch campuses in Memphis, Houston, Orlando, Chattanooga, and Atlanta broke the 1,000-student mark for the first time. The 25% increase occurred at a time when many institutions offering adult degree programs are facing declining enrollment.

Belhaven also saw rapid growth in its online degree program for undergraduate, graduate and high scholar (high school) students, with an increase of 203 students. After six years, Belhaven’s online program boasts a total of 540 students, a dramatic increase from its very first online class of 5 students in 2006. The University’s enrollment in Jackson includes 84 international students, up from 51 a year ago. Students from 28 countries are studying on the Jackson campus with the largest groups from Brazil, South Korea, Columbia, United Kingdom and France. “We are thankful for each student God has brought to us, and we look forward to helping them grow academically and spiritually, to become prepared for a life of significance and service,” added Dr. Parrott.

mIlItary FrIeNDly SchoolSBelhaven universiTy awarded

Belhaven University was awarded the prestigious title of Military Friendly School again and is among the 15% that made the list for this year. The 2013 Military Friendly Schools list honors institutions of higher learning that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus. Both of Belhaven’s Adult Studies and Online programs help and support military personnel in their goals for higher education. The Adult studies programs make attending Belhaven more affordable for military by providing scholarships, tuition discounts, the

Yellow Ribbon Program, grants and other incentives. Belhaven’s military benefits not only help with the financial side of education,

but also extend into other areas. With adult studies, books are included with tuition, transcripts are requested and paid for by Belhaven, classes are flexible and meet once a week. Belhaven’s military friendly online program is another reason why Belhaven made the list this year. The online program fits into the busy

and mobile lifestyles of military and also provides a flexible schedule for military to earn a degree.

NeW DeSoto campuSopening in norTh mississippi

Belhaven University announced the opening of its newest branch campus. The Belhaven DeSoto Campus, located in Southaven, Miss., began offering classes in January. As an extension of the main Jackson campus, the DeSoto campus will continue in Belhaven’s commitment of offering a quality education for working adults and offer associate, bachelor, and master degrees. The 4400 square foot facility has classrooms with state-of-the-art technology and an academic space that is welcoming, user-friendly and gives additional space for growth. The campus is located at 7111 Southcrest Parkway, one block from I-55.

NoW oFFerINgassoCiaTe oF arTsBaChelor oF sCienCe in managemenT

BaChelor oF Business adminisTraTionmasTer oF sCienCe in leadership

masTer oF Business adminisTraTionmasTer oF arTs in TeaChing

masTer oF eduCaTion

masTer oF eduCaTion in reaDINg lIteracy

now oFFered This year Belhaven’s Online Degree Program introduced a new degree, the Master of Education in Reading Literacy. In today’s educational system there has been a heavy emphasis on evaluating academic achievement. This degree path is intended for those who are already teaching and have a teacher’s license. Teachers will receive advanced skills and will learn how to diagnose and access student reading problems, then improve their own and other teachers’ ability to meet those needs. Because this master’s degree is online,

it helps students pursue a college degree that fits around their home and work demands. Internships and practicum field experiences provide an opportunity to apply classroom principles and techniques. A master’s degree in reading literacy can put teachers into supervisory and leadership roles in education and can lead to a specialist degree or doctorate in reading. Many school districts use literacy coaches or reading specialists to improve instruction.

Belhaven namedbeSt chrIStIaN

WorKplaceS Belhaven University was awarded Best Christian Workplace for 2013. This award recognizes only 22 Christian business and nonprofit organizations in the country that excel in job satisfaction, Christian witness, personal development, teamwork and management. The Best Christian Workplaces Institute discovers which companies are continuing to nurture their employees by asking them to respond to more than 50 questions addressing relevant topics within the organization. The survey provides an avenue of communication for employees, giving Belhaven a clearer picture of the workplace environment. It also gives useful information that can ultimately contribute to Belhaven’s mission.

2013

ONLINE PROGRAMSBEST

BACHELOR’S

universiTy ranks 32nd

uS NeWSFor online program

Belhaven University Online was ranked 32nd for its bachelor degree programs among 214 national colleges and universities in the Best Online Education Programs rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Belhaven University’s Online program provides a unique blend of personal and professional attention within the convenience of a flexible online classroom. All of Belhaven’s 13 online degree programs are grounded in the Christian worldview curriculum and are taught by experienced faculty who are committed to the success of each student. Belhaven offers associate, bachelors, and graduate degrees in subjects including business, education, health administration, sports administration, public administration, and leadership. Factors used to compute the rankings this year include retention rates, graduation rates, and the indebtedness of students upon graduation. Online bachelor’s degree programs were ranked in three different categories: student engagement and assessment, faculty credentials and training, and student services and technology.

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muSIcpublISheD

in memory oF wiFe Paxton Girtmon, Associate Professor of Music at Belhaven, recently had four pieces of music published by Duma Music and WEHR Music House. All publications are dedicated to the memory of Girtmon’s

wife, Reca who passed away in 2012. Adagio for Glass harmonica K.356-Mozart- for Woodwind Quartet, copyright 2013, Duma Music, Inc. Symphony 7, Allegretto, Mvt. 2-Beethoven- for Woodwind Quartet, copyright 2013, Duma Music, Inc. Fugue In G Minor KV 401-Mozart- for Woodwind Quartet -, copyright 2013, Duma Music, Inc. The Entertainer-Scott Joplin- for Woodwind Ensemble, copyright 2012 WEHR Music House.

FonCree reCeives mISSISSIppI

humaNItIeS teacher

aWarDMrs. Rose Mary Foncree, Associate Professor of English, was the 2012 winner of the Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher Award. This award recognizes the contribution of humanities faculty at each of the state’s colleges and universities. Each award recipient is required to prepare and deliver a public lecture and recipients are then recognized at the Mississippi Humanities Council’s annual awards banquet in the spring. Foncree gave her presentation on November 15 in the Belhaven Student Center Theatre and her lecture was titled “The Ubi Sunt Motif in Anglo-Saxon Poetry”. The Mississippi Humanities Council is a private nonprofit corporation funded by Congress through the National Endowment for the Humanities and provides public programs in traditional liberal arts disciplines to serve nonprofit groups in Mississippi.

broaDcaSterS aSSocIatIoNshare insighT wiTh CommuniCaTion sTudenTs

Members of the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters (MAB) traveled to Jackson October 11, 2012 from all across the state to work with students as they prepare to enter the world of work in communications. Dr. Elayne Anthony, Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication, said, “We were truly grateful to have MAB on campus. They gave the students a candid evaluation of their work and helpful advice about the industry. This was a great conference and opportunity for our communication students at Belhaven. In fact, one student received a job offer as a morning news anchor.”

Students had one-on-one sessions with the media professionals and presented their work for portfolio reviews and critiques. The day ended with a panel discussion that gave

students the chance to ask their questions about the broadcasting world. The MAB is one of the nation’s leading state broadcast associations. With 100% of Mississippi TV stations and 85% of Mississippi radio stations as members, they represent the majority of the broadcast

industry at the state and local levels. One of their main goals is to teach and help others going into the broadcasting industry.

inTernaTional pasTorDr. bIlly KIm

visiTs wiThWorlD reNoWNeD chIlDreN’S choIr

The Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) Korea Children’s Choir delivered two big performances at Belhaven’s Center for the Arts on October 2. The FEBC Korea Children’s Choir delighted Belhaven students, faculty, staff and friends with their beautiful voices, colorful costumes, skilled choreography and traditional Korean dance. The choir has performed at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, The Pentagon, Walter Reed Medical Center and numerous churches, colleges, universities and music festivals. Both concerts featured the children’s choir and Dr. Billy Kim, international Christian statesman, pastor, broadcaster and influential speaker. He has inspired thousands with his story and spoke words of inspiration at both performances. He was the first Asian to serve as the president of the 40 million-member Baptist World Alliance, and built an international media network at Far East Broadcasting-Korea where he serves as Chairman of the Board. Today, his ministry continues to touch thousands of lives through preaching and broadcasting. Special guests and renowned pianists Sylvia Hong and Michael Rector collaborated with the choir for the second concert.

graphiC design winsFour aDDys

The Graphic Design Department at Belhaven University is celebrating a four ADDY sweep, including Best of Show, at the Jackson AAF’s Student ADDYs Awards. The Big Top ADDYs Awards, sponsored by the AAF of Jackson, awarded the following items to the following Belhaven students: Kristen McCann, Gold, for her Apple Spider package design. Kristen also won Best of Show! Ana Iverson, Silver, for her illustration. Trey Self, Silver, for his poster design. Mallory Shields, Silver, for her identity package design. All Gold winners are automatically forwarded to the district competition.

Belhaven To hosT SoutherN regIoNal

DaNce FeStIValThe Belhaven University Dance Department partnered with the American College Dance Festival Association (ACDFA) in celebrating their 40th anniversary and will host the Southern Regional Festival in Jackson, Miss. on March 13-16. Some of the top performers from colleges like Ole Miss, Belhaven, Auburn, Tulane, Arkansas and Southern Mississippi are attending the festival and will be showcasing their talents. The festival is the biggest of its kind in the south and will feature three special performances that will be open to the public. Audiences will get a sneak peek into the world of dance at the collegiate level through

these performances. Festival participants, that include Belhaven dance students, will enjoy adjudicated concerts where students will receive constructive feedback from noted national dance professionals. Over fifty dance classes are being offered, ranging in styles from ballet, modern, jazz and hip-hop. Other events for the dancers will include choreography classes, repertory, lectures and panel discussions. Panels will discuss such topics as current trends in the field of dance, health and wellness, teacher’s education, becoming a dance professional and screen dance.

DISabIlIty aND the goSpelDr. Michael S. Beates is an adjunct instructor of Bible and worldview at the Belhaven Orlando Campus and has authored his first book called Disability and the Gospel . His inspiration for the book came when his first child, Jessica (now 30), was born with a chromosomal anomaly that left her severely disabled. “Of course, this rocked our world back in 1982 and made us examine our faith in new and unexpected ways. As a seminary student I began to search for more answers regarding God’s place in disabilities and how the church is or should be responding.” “I determined that while there are many ‘how to’ books available to equip people for ministry in the disability community, there was not any ‘why to?’ books. I saw this as a critical need in the church. So this book looks at what the Scriptures say about disability, what leaders in the church through history have said, and what challenges face the church today in this area,” added Dr. Beates.


eNVIroNmeNtal SteWarDShIpCleaning up CrysTal lake

Luke Bert, a senior with a double major in Biblical studies and philosophy, is an avid outdoorsmen and shares that love with faculty member Dr. Joe Martin. They decided to enjoy a day of canoeing at Crystal Lake in Flowood and discovered that the park had become a dumpsite; people were carelessly dumping their unwanted items in the lake and around the park. They found heaps of trash, gas cans, tires and even a kitchen sink. The next day, they both returned with trash bags to clean up, but Bert left with the desire to fulfill the cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28. Bert made Crystal Lake his personal project and organized a clean up day on October 20 that rallied Calvary Chapel Church, MS Parks and Recreation, Keep MS Beautiful, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Flowood Mayor’s office, local boy scouts and Belhaven students. The MS Department of Wildlife and Fisheries brought out a 30 foot barge to put in the lake so volunteers in canoes could put trash on it and then float it back to shore where the boy scouts unloaded it into a dumpster.

Dr. Reid Bishop, Associate Professor of Chemistry said, “Luke was the organizing force behind the Crystal Lake clean up. In my opinion he embodies the ethic of environmental stewardship, which is what this area needs so badly. Luke proves that enthusiasm is contagious.” Kayaks and canoes of Belhaven students and faculty covered the lake and helped them reach parts of the lake only accessible by boat. Land-locked volunteers walked the shores and picked up trash. Bert adds, “We even had a fisherman come out and help, and he was excited to see his fishing hole get cleaned up.” Members of Belhaven’s newly formed Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society and the biology and chemistry clubs made the clean up part of their annual service project. They performed a chemical analysis of the lake as part of the cleanup efforts. The mayor of Flowood, Gary Rhoads, was inspired by the efforts and made plans to improve the park by fixing the docks and making them handicap accessible.

belhaVeNSerVeS

JacKSoN marTin luTher king

serviCe dayFor over a decade Belhaven University students have participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Day and the number of student volunteers keeps growing every year. Over 500 Belhaven students, faculty and staff volunteered at charitable organizations around Jackson to serve the community on Monday, January 21. A total of 455 students participated in last year’s service day. Places like the Mustard Seed, American Red Cross, Mission First, Habitat for Humanity, John Perkins Foundation and others received a helping hand from students. Students joined their respective athletic team, student organization or group of friends and gave their time to service projects like painting, cleaning, yard work, organizing, serving food, gardening and various other tasks. The Belhaven Leadership Council (BLC) was the driving force behind this service project and is led by current students that serve the Belhaven student body. Katie Rowan who is the Community Outreach Coordinator for the BLC said, “MLK Day serves as a reminder that our lives belong to Christ. Just as Christ served us, we are commanded to serve others. This day gives us the chance to give back to our community and share the love of Christ.”

ethan Polson, a senior from Ankeny, Iowa,

started January 1 of 2012 a little differently than most. With his camera on, he steadied his footing and leaped high into the air, turned backward, then landed perfectly on his feet; and so started a one-year adventure that, like a backflip, would turn his world upside down, but put him back on his feet, steady in the end. Count them; 365 backflips, all of them recorded at different spots around Mississippi, Iowa, Minnesota and even Germany. They were put together in one three-minute journey on Youtube, as a New Year’s resolution. “I thought it would be great to work on a project every day, to start something and see it finished,” said Polson, a theatre performance major at Belhaven. After only a week of filming the backflips Polson met a formidable obstacle. Each backflip had its share of bumps and bruises; He had slipped on ice and with sore legs tried 26 times to perfect a catch and backflip, but the biggest ‘bump” came after surgery on his hand. Polson had surgery on his hand for what his doctor thought was a ganglion cyst; his hand surgeon decided it wasn’t what he initially thought it was when taken out. After a biopsy he discovered it was a cancerous tumor. Polson would need radiation and additional tests to make sure the cancer had not spread. “It was weird. I was accepting the fact that it was happening and that it was going to be okay because it was happening for a reason.” He was not able to return to Belhaven that semester and ended up practically living in Rochester for five weeks. Polson was lying in his hospital bed the first day after his six hour surgery on his hand and realized that there was no way he could do a

backflip that day. “I talked to my mom and wondered what we could do. Friends of the family found a red wind-up back-flipping kangaroo toy, so it took my place for a few weeks.” Radiation treatment every day for five weeks did not stop Polson from seeing his backflip project completed. With a little help from his family, Polson endured to get a backflip in everyday, even though he was dealing with radiation burns and a healing hand. One of the most relevant verses that Polson held close to his heart during this time was James 1:2, which says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” “It was a good thing to go through and have my relationship with Christ to be something that was a comfort. I would definitely say that because of what I went through during that time my relationship with Christ was deepened. It’s a landmark in the idea that even if something gets in your way you can still finish what you start. I was able to start something, hit a roadblock , stumble my way through it and still be able to keep going after it.” It is a new year and Polson is now cancer free. He hopes to continue to document other projects or resolutions in the future. He also wants to be an actor and work in the theatre after he graduates. His last backflip on December 31 of 2012 was bittersweet. Polson said, “The last backflip felt really good, but it had almost become a habit. The day after I thought, ‘wow’ I am not going out and recording these anymore.” He uploaded the video on Youtube the next day and so far the video has had more than 10,000 views.


than a coach to me; he is a friend. Football isn’t the only thing he cares about. He cares about and loves football, but he puts people first in his life.” On the field, Brock took away many skills during his time at Belhaven that helped

him in the NFL. “While at Belhaven, I had to focus more and work harder in my last year to get to the next level.“ Off the field, Belhaven played a significant role in some of the harder times in his life. His relationship with God really started to grow when he hit some hard times in Minnesota. He understood the need of building his relationship with God and said, “Everything worked out from there with me making my decision to go to Belhaven. I felt that God played a big part in it. It is important for me to maintain my relationship with Him on and off the field. Belhaven helped me solidify my relationship with God. Going there was a great experience because I was around love and grace and everyone wanted to help out for the best.” In February of 2011, Belhaven University and the Department of Athletics recognized Brock by retiring his jersey for his accomplishments on both the collegiate and professional levels. Brock signed an undrafted free agent contract with the 49ers in 2010 and he is in his third season with San Fransisco.“When I got into the NFL there was more competition, and I have always been competitive. I wanted to be the best and realized that I would have to not only

love the game, but work harder and use the competition to keep me going.” When drafted, Brock was competeing for cornerback. Battling with seven other undrafted free agents, he eventually worked his way into the defensive back rotation. “As an undrafted free agent you’re battling an uphill climb the second you enter the league,” added Brock. Jim Harbaugh, Head Coach of the 49ers, was impressed with Brock and gave his initial thoughts when he was drafted in 2011. “Both T-Brown (Tarell Brown) and T-Brock (Tramaine Brock) have both shown very good play. They’re ball guys, they like talking football, good in the meeting rooms, and they’re getting their hands on balls, tight coverage. They’re two of the guys that are really adding to bolster our secondary right now.” Brock has collected a career-high 16 tackles in 16 games this season for San Francisco as a defensive back and member of the special teams. Brock’s total career numbers include 25 tackles, two interceptions, five passes defended, and one forced fumble. Today, Brock stands to be an important piece for a championship contending 49ers team. He made a decisive tackle in the NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons that took the 49ers to the Super Bowl. “It was a close game throughout, but after I made the last tackle on the punt, that is when we felt like we had captured the game. Everybody in the NFL wants to play in a Super Bowl game, almost every player makes that a goal. At that moment (we won) I was thinking about how great it would be playing in the Super Bowl.” “As soon as the NFC Championship game was over, I was elated for Tramaine,” said Coach Thrasher. “He has worked so hard earning his spot on the roster after coming into the NFL as a free agent. For the past three years he has continued to achieve as a phenomenal football player. He is a great representative of Belhaven and the state of Mississippi. The opportunity for him to be in the Super Bowl is tremendous and we are proud of him making it that far.”

running around and playing pick up games with my friends.” Brock was a standout at Long Beach Senior High School, in Long Beach, Miss. It was here that Brock’s “God-given” talent began to develop and his desire to play professionally became more evident. His mother, a strong believer, was and still is one of his biggest supporters. Before each game in high school, she had the pre-game tradition of praying and reading a Bible verse with Brock. His high school career garnered attention from some of the top junior college football programs in the country. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College picked up Brock, and he collected 59 tackles and seven interceptions in the first 11 games of the 2007 season. His contributions led the team to a perfect 12-0 record that year and a national championship. After two years of solid football at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, he spent a year playing for the University of Minnesota before playing his senior season at Belhaven. Brock went on to finish his football career at Belhaven in 2009, where he led the team with six interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. Brock tied the Belhaven single season record for most interceptions and compiled 51 total tackles with 2.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss. Brock also returned kicks for the Blazers, averaging 17.4 yards per return with a long of 55 yards. Brock was also named to the Mid-South Conference Western Division All-Conference Team. Joseph Thrasher, Belhaven’s Head Football Coach, was Brock’s coach in 2009 and said, “He has the drive to succeed. Tramaine was a player that came in and worked hard from day one. He is a great example of what happens when character meets talent. He believed in what we wanted to do as a team and made everyone around him better. Yet, he always stayed humble and focused on competing and obtaining his goals. It was and is an honor to have him as part of the Blazer’s family.” Brock reciprocated his feelings for Coach Thrasher and said, “I enjoyed my time at Belhaven and I made some good friends there. Coach Thrasher is really the only coach I keep up with these days. He is more

Tramaine Brock is the first and so far the only football player in the history of the Belhaven football program to play in the National Football League. This year brought about another notable first. The former Belhaven defensive back took the field for the San Francisco 49ers to take on the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII, making him the first former Blazer to make it to the super stage of the Super Bowl. Even though the 49ers did not win their sixth Super Bowl title, every football player would give anything for the chance to play in the game among games. For Brock the road to the Super Bowl was earned through hard work, sweat, blood and tears. His love for football took him farther than anyone in the history of Belhaven football. Football has always been an important part of Brock’s life. Growing up in Gulfport, Miss. his love for the game flourished, “When I was young, my dad got me started playing football and I spent most of my time

big time Blazer

in the big game

phoTo provided By The sanFranCisCo 49ers.

phoTo provided By The sanFranCisCo 49ers.

[ www.Belhaven.edu ] Belhaven universiTy TarTan / 2013 issue 1 — 17 16 — Belhaven universiTy TarTan / 2013 issue 1 [ www.Belhaven.edu ]

s p o r t s News

Football FighTs To The Finish

The Blazers showed a tremendous amount of resiliency after a rough 0-3 start to the season, finishing the campaign with a 6-5 record. Truth be told, if a few plays here or there had gone differently the team could be looking at more victories. Belhaven also re-wrote the school record books on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball thanks to some outstanding team and individual performances this season. Belhaven traveled to Williamsburg, KY to open the 2012 campaign on Labor Day weekend. The Patriots were ranked 19th coming into the contest and eventually became one of three Mid-South Conference teams to make the NAIA playoffs. In a game dominated by the defenses with a few big plays mixed in, Belhaven came up short 21-10. In Belhaven’s home opener the following week, the Blazers struggled to get on track, losing to Louisiana College 24-13 at H.T. Newell Field. Belhaven missed some opportunities with good field position early in the game and then in the fourth quarter a 17-play, 80-yard touchdown drive by Louisiana College, that took 8:45 off the clock, sealed the outcome. The Blazers headed back out on the road the next week to Cumberland (TN) for their Mid-South Conference West Division opener. Belhaven suffered another heartbreaking loss in overtime 36-30. The Blazers battled back numerous times throughout the course of the game and forced overtime with 21 seconds to spare on a two yard touchdown run by Raymond Cotton. Cumberland scored on the first possession of overtime and then shut down the Blazers offense to lock down the win. Belhaven began to right the ship in week four of the season at home against Campbellsville (KY), exploding for a record breaking 70-28 victory. The Blazers shattered three school records including most points scored in a game, most touchdowns in a game (10), and most extra points in a game (10). Belhaven broke the contest open in the second and third quarters with eight

consecutive TDs en route to a key Mid-South Conference West Division win. The offense continued to fire on all cylinders the next week as the team headed north to Virginia to battle UVA-Wise where the Blazers piled up 52 points in a 52-14 win. Belhaven ran into a roadblock against Kentucky Christian University in an attempt to get to .500 on the season. The Blazers entered the game 2-3, but the offense that combined to score 122 points during the previous two games, was limited to only 10 in a 13-10 setback. Reeling a bit from the loss, Belhaven entered the annual Homecoming game against Bluefield College in a must-win situation and the Blazers emerged with a resounding 66-10 win. The win over Bluefield was the first in a string of four straight that continued the following week at Lindsey Wilson College. Belhaven’s defensive prowess was on display in a 35-7 Mid-South Conference West Division win. The Blazers then faced another must-win game at Faulkner and the defense put its mark on the contest for the second straight week. Belhaven forced four more turnovers, leading to a 35-0 triumph, making it the first shutout win since the 2001 season.

Belhaven returned to H.T. Newell Field the next week for a showdown with the University of Pikeville and the outcome was a 24-14 win. Belhaven entered week 11 of the season with a record of 6-4 and 4-1 in the MSC. The Blazers found themselves with a shot at the West Division title if they could beat Bethel University (TN). Unfortunately, the Wildcats gritted their way to a win despite being dominated by Belhaven in almost every statistical category except the final points in a 21-17 game. “We did a lot of good things statistically, but our record isn’t where we wanted it to be,” said Head Coach Joe Thrasher. “At the end of the day playing in a conference championship is one thing, but winning a conference championship is our goal. To taste some success this year was good. It was phenomenal for us to completely revamp an offense, from what Belhaven has been known for, and to change the demeanor of the defense. To start 0-3 and then win 6 of 8 to close the season was also big for us. I’m excited about the direction of Belhaven football.”

Volleyball memoraBle season

A month has passed since the end of the Belhaven volleyball team’s successful 2012 campaign, but the images of how they got there are still fresh in mind. Nothing was easy about the Blazers “dream” season. The sheer length and amount of time that an entire season consists of could tire out even the most strong-willed people. However, the team battled through adversity several times during the four-month season to post a 27-9 record, good enough for the best in school history. The wins record was one of four records that fell in a year that also saw five players and Head Coach Jordan Lay honored for

excellence on and off the court. The season started early for the Blazers, just a week into August which was two weeks away from renewing another academic year with most of the Jackson campus deserted. A new coaching staff and a handful of talented new recruits combined with an already assembled cast generated excitement for the 2012 season. Taylor Williams and Erin Bradley were both eyeing personal career records at their respective positions, which added an extra level to the excitement, but it was the potential team success that had the players and coaches geared up in anticipation. Over the course of the season, there were quite a few records

broken at both the individual and team levels. The Blazers broke records in both wins in a season by a team and the most wins ever by a first-year head coach. Senior captain Erin Bradley broke the All-Time Career Assists record in her final collegiate match against Loyola University. She now holds the record with 4,080 career assists. Fellow senior Taylor Williams quickly climbed up the career kills list with an impressive season. She is now third for a career with 1,084 kills. Natalie Davis also broke a career record by posting a .300 hitting percentage, which topped the previous career mark by over four ticks. Coinciding with that, Davis also broke the single-season record for hitting percentage. In the SSAC awards, Bradley was the lone player named to the First Team All Conference. Williams and Davis were both named to the Second Team. Davis was also named the Musco Lighting Champion of Character for the Blazers, as a role model of character both on and off the court. Freshman Morgan Hofacker was named to the All-Freshman team in what should be the start of a blossoming career as a Blazer. Jordan Lay was named Coach of the Year in the Southern States Athletic Conference for the way he commanded the sidelines in his first year as coach. The Blazers will look to continue their success in 2013 despite the loss of four key seniors, due to an impactful incoming class of freshman and transfers. They ended their season with a record of 27-9.

mCmahon NaIa coach oF the year

Brian McMahon, Head Coach of Belhaven Men’s Soccer, was named the 2012 Field Turf National Soccer Coaches Association of America/NAIA National Coach of the Year following Belhaven’s 2012 NAIA Championship season. In his first season with Belhaven, McMahon’s team took home the 2012 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship title. It was the second national title in the program’s history and the third national title of any sport in Belhaven’s history. This significant milestone also took place during the 20th anniversary season of the last national championship team, won in 1992 by the men’s soccer team. Before the season began, McMahon had warm up jerseys made for his team that simply said “92” to remind his players of the opportunity in their midst. “Coming in to the first year the hope was just to develop a culture of success on and off the field, with how we carried ourselves. Our goal on the field was to play to a standard regardless of who we played and I felt the guys did a great job at that,” adds McMahon. The Blazers faced some of the toughest competition in all of the NAIA throughout the course of the season and beat six of the top ten teams in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll throughout the course of the season. They then battled their way through the competition with five straight victories in the national tournament and ended the season with an overall 19-4-1 record.


laDy blazerS soCCCer

The future looks bright as ever with a team that saw a few tough breaks from having a much better record than they finished with this season. Belhaven matched their season win total of six from a season ago, which may look disappointing, but that is anything but the truth. The Blazers were competitive in every game and by all accounts the team looks to be turning the corner toward some very good things in the near future. The Blazers were excited about their prospects of the season in preseason work after bringing in extremely talented players from the high school and JUCO levels. Jordan Organ, Ashley Harber and Laura Quintero were all incoming players mentioned by Head Coach Josue Sabillion as big difference makers for the program. In the coming months we would come to realize just how true that statement was. Harber, a defender from the New Orleans area, was the leading goal scorer for the Blazers in 2012. Her skill in the back half made her one of the top defenders in the Southern States Athletic Conference as a freshman, but it was her offensive flashes that made her so valuable to this Belhaven squad. Five of her goals were off of headers and coincidentally every one of those goals was assisted off of the foot of fellow rookie Quintero. The two developed a nice chemistry up the middle of the field and they will be staples of the program moving forward. Quintero brought a ton of stability to the middle of the field for Belhaven, which is something that they have craved for the last few seasons. Her quick touches and ability to distribute the ball freely to every point of the field made her very hard to defend in the midfield. Organ was second on the team in goals with four on the year. Her speed on the outside made her a potent weapon for the Blazers, as she was able to get behind the defense and make things happen on more than one occasion. Also Organ was able to create opportunities for her teammates by sending balls into the middle from her left flank. She finished with only one assist on the year, but the amount of opportunities that she actually created was much higher. Sophomore goalkeeper Nicole Walsh also had an excellent season for the Blazers. She kept Belhaven in many a game because of some timely saves, some of those by a mere fingertip. Walsh had one of the best seasons for a keeper in Belhaven history, as her 123 saves puts her third for a single season in that category. She has also moved into second on the career saves list with 215 in her two years on the Jackson campus. She will have a very good opportunity to break the career saves record next season. Junior Morgan Ogale and senior Amanda Smith were each named Daktronics Scholar Athletes for their work in the classroom and on the field. This Blazers squad will be graduating only three seniors and return a majority of their starting lineup that made drastic improvements in 2012. This upcoming offseason could be one of the most important in program history, as they look to continue their success.

croSS couNtryThe Belhaven Cross Country teams finished off another successful campaign in 2012 despite the season bringing a lot of unexpected turns. The runners fought through injuries and team adversity over the course of the four-month season but continued to get better with every passing race. Sophomore Chloe Brown finished as the top female runner for Belhaven in every race run this season, in what was an outstanding campaign for her. Brown got stronger as the season went on and finished with her two best races in the final two invitationals of the year. In the Sand Shark CC Invitational on October 20, she ran a season best 5k at 21:25 which was good enough for 72nd place in an extremely quick field of runners. The next weekend she

posted a 21:47 race at the steeper Choctaw Trails course in the SSAC Championships. Belhaven had a trio of seniors that also posted great times during the year. Sarah McAlister was usually the runner to finish right behind Brown during races and Sarah Rivera and Seraphin Lin weren’t very far behind. A handful of times all three finished within a few spots of each other to post a solid overall team time. The Blazers finished 11th in the SSAC this season. Like the women’s team, the men had a runner that consistently led the team on race days and also like Brown, Thorburn McGee is a sophomore that the team will build around moving forward.

McGee posted very good times all season long and saved his best 8k time for the most important race of the year, the SSAC Championships. On a sunny fall day the sophomore ran a 28:50 mark, which averaged out to just under six minutes per mile. Two freshman Matt Fox and Ben Storment had great rookie seasons for Belhaven. They were two highly touted runners coming out of high school and neither disappointed, often finishing in the top three for Belhaven. Andrew Sinclair and mid-season recruit John Lane rounded out the top five for the Blazers in 2012. Lane came onto the team after sophomore Drew Gardner was lost for the season due to a foot injury. The men’s team finished 8th in the conference in the SSAC Championship. Brown and McCallister on the women’s side and Gardner, Lane, McGee and Sinclair were all named to the SSAC All-Academic Team. Allison Nooe, who missed the season due to injury, was named the Musco Lighting Champion of Character for Belhaven. Five runners were also named Daktronics NAIA scholar athletes: Sinclair, Lane, McCallister, Lin and Rivera. Each of these athletes needed to post at least a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have reached junior status to be eligible for the award. Overall each team will have plenty of runners returning for the 2013 season when Coach Barber looks to take the team to the next level.

2013 SportScampS

SprINg–SoccerMarch 12-14 (3 Days)

mINI may– SoccerMay 28-30 (3 Days)

Summer– SoccerJune 17-20 Team Camp

June 24-27 Team, Day and Extended Camp

June 30-3 Team CampJuly 8-11 Team, Day and

Extended Camp

teNNIS March 11-13June 10-14June 17-21

baSKetball June 17-20June 24-27July 22-25

Football June 10-13 July 8-11

July 15-18

multI Sport camp July 9-13

VISIt blazerS.belhaVeN.eDu

For all the DetaIlS

DaNIel lIcKNeSS named golF head CoaCh

Belhaven University is pleased to announce that Dan Lickness has been hired as the new Head Men’s Golf Coach and Director of Game Day Operations. Lickness is a 2008 alum and former golfer at Belhaven. Lickness comes to Belhaven from Sea Pines Golf Resort in Los Osos, CA, where he served as the Tournament Director for the Junior Golf Association. Prior to his move to California, Lickness was the Assistant Recre-ation Director at Mission First in Jackson, MS. “We’ve been looking for the best person to lead our Golf and Game Day divisions for-ward, and I’m really glad Coach Lickness has assumed that leadership role,” said Belhaven Director of Athletics Scott Little. “He’s an alum whose background and experience are a great fit for both crucial departmental areas.”


a l u m n i News

alumna wins NatIoNal aWarD For teachINg

Sabrina Morgan (’01) is a teacher at Pearl Lower Elementary and has taught for 11 years. She sees education as more than just grades, and people are starting to notice. When students are ill and unable to come to class, Morgan uses Skype to bring the classroom to her students. This is just one example of the many initiatives she has to see her first graders succeed. Because of her tireless work, love for teaching and success in the classroom, Morgan was awarded the 2012 Milken Educator Award. Only 40 elementary educators in the country receive this prestigious recognition. Along with the commendation, this national award came with a cash prize of $25,000. Morgan takes joy in knowing that each child in her class succeeds in some way. “A child’s success does not always have to be in the form of an A+. It can be as small as remembering to put their name on the top of their paper or completing a task individually. Helping the students recognize their own successes and being able to see when they recognize these successes is the biggest reward of all,” said Morgan. She strives to give each child the tools to be a life-long learner and significant achievements from her classroom are evidence of her passion and skill in teaching. According to her classroom score charts for the 2011- 2012 school year, 96 percent of her students improved in reading and 100 percent improved in math. Some of the proactive activities that Morgan incorporates include the students’ parents. “Math Night” is a time for parents to gain knowledge of math skills that first grade students need and the “Family Science Night” is for parents and students to work on science activities together. Morgan earned her Master’s of Education degree through Belhaven’s Graduate Studies Program. “I began the master’s program at Belhaven after my first year of teaching, therefore I was able to bring real life experiences to my classes. My teaching abilities grew from the rich experiences that I received at Belhaven. I was able to work with students during our class time at Belhaven to use the new and innovative ideas that Belhaven provided.”

60’s mary FraNcIS alleN (’68), after teaching technology for a number of years, has completed her second book entitled, The Secret Life of Lenora Henson (Grande Dame of Southern Society) .

tISh KNapp (’61) has a new novel published in December 2012: 13 Bones. This is Tish’s second novel and is set in New Orleans.

Dr. ronAlD W. McKinney (’67) is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award in Communications from North Georgia Television. The award is presented to someone who has made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance in radio, television and print media. Ron has been pastor of Kinsey Drive Baptist Church, Dalton, Georgia, for 23 years. His wife, Bonnie, is an English instructor at Christian Heritage School, which started at KDBC. They have four grown children.

70’s Joey stroBle (‘70) retired as CEO of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance on November 30, 2012.

celiA Merrill (’73) moved last August to Marble Falls, TX after 25 years in Albuquerque, NM. She is the Executive Director for Arbor House Assisted Living and Memory Care that is being built in Marble Falls, scheduled to open in May. She is also teaching second semester freshman English for Central Texas College for three classes of high school seniors taking the course for dual credit. She was very honored in 2011 to be recognized with the Governor’s Award for Outstanding New Mexico Women.

JiM PAtterson (’73), and his wife Mary, traveled back to the United States in the fall to watch their daughter Jeannie wed Troy Smith on September 2, 2012.

banks use to process payments. Dan and his wife Katie live in Memphis with their son Sam.

sArAH nABors MArtin (’96) and her husband, W.R., celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2012.

JessicA steWArt MorgAn (’97), and husband Step received Elijah Nathanael Lee Morgan into the family in September 2012. “Eli” joins siblings Rachel Katherine, Sam, Noah, and Sophie.

MAJor Alex Weis (’95) AnD HAVen KnigHt Weis (’99) greeted their fifth child, Damaris, in September of 2012. Damaris joins brothers, Joseph, Isaac and Thomas, and sister Haddie.

WADe WicHt (’97), and wife Ramona welcomed William Wade Jordan Wicht into the family on July 23, 2012. William joins siblings Liliana, Leila, and Amelia.

MicHAel DuKes (’98) Director of Development and Alumni, was appointed as Logistics Co-Chair for the CASE District III Annual Conference in Atlanta on February 17-20, 2013. Dukes was one of four responsible for planning the entire conference that advances and supports educational and professional institutions. CASE District III is the second-largest district with more than 3,500 members from institutions around the southeastern United States.

scott sPiVey (’98) AnD Holly DAniel sPiVey (’99) welcomed son William Edward Spivey on May 20, 2012. William joins 8 year old sister Riley in the Spivey home.

DAViD o’gWynn (’99), and wife Leah welcomed their first child, Holden Christopher O’Gwynn, in August of 2012. They reside in Massachusetts where David is employed at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

JuDy VAnDer Ploeg (’75) and her husband, Don, have been with JAARS, serving Wycliffe Bible Translators, for over 25 years, with their recent field of service in Kenya. However, Don and Judy returned to Papua New Guinea October 2012 to serve as regional center managers for about 20 translation teams on the islands of New Ireland, New Britain, and Bouganville

Kathy grIFFIN SteWart (’75) and husband, Jim, are enjoying their first granddaughter, Avery, learning to walk! Avery joins brothers Gavin (4.5) and Caleb (3), children of their firstborn, Becca. Their son, Griffin, and his wife, Valerie, have just returned from living overseas for 3.5 years and visiting 48 countries. The Stewart’s youngest, Carolyn, was married (David) last March and they live in downtown Atlanta. While Jim works as the chairman of Architecture at ITT Tech, Kathy still enjoys her three part-time jobs at Bloomberg BNA, Moye Sports and life coaching.

Joey stroBle (‘70) retired as CEO of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance on November 30, 2012.

MicHAel W. scHicK (’79) just released a new book, God’s Job, Our Job: Knowing the Difference Makes All the Difference. It’s a 31-day devotional published by Credo House. 80’s MicHAel BryAnt (’82) retired in October of 2011 after proudly serving thirty-three years in the Mississippi Air National Guard. JiM cArter (’83), after retiring from the Army Chaplaincy in 2011, moved to Pompano Beach to serve as Senior Pastor of New Presbyterian Church. Jim, and terrI gAney cArter (’81), have two children, a daughter who is in college and a son that is currently a junior in high school.

DWAin Miller (’85) finished his first year of teaching Special Education at a middle school in Leakey, Texas. His daughter, Victoria Camenisch Miller, graduated this past May from Covenant Christian Academy, in Conroe, TX, Magna Cum Laude and will be attending Mary Hardin Baylor University.

rAcHel t. HuMer (’89), and TWIW Insurance Services, worked to collect canned foods for a local food bank in Ventura, CA. They were able to donate three food trees equaling over 1800 cans of food. 90’s sArAH AlBritton (’96) has published her first novel, The Other Side of the Flood. Half fiction and half family history, this book will have you guessing if it has been written about you!

reV. cHAD BAiley (’99) AnD reBeccA Wells BAiley (’99) welcomed baby Alice Ruth Bailey to their family in December of 2012. Alice was received home by siblings Hannah, Samuel, Andrew, and Michael.

Joel BezAire (’98) has published his first book entitled, Temptation Bangs Forever: The Worst Church Signs You’ve Ever Seen . Joel and his wife Jennifer live in Nashville with their son Liam.

DAyton cAstleMAn (’97) AnD KAren HAMM cAstleMAn (’00) welcomed their second daughter, Zoe Emilia Castleman, in August of 2012. Zoe was greeted at home by sister Anna Castleman.

Kelly Foster lunDquist (’99) married Ben Lundquist in an outdoor ceremony in Minnesota in September of 2012. After the wedding, the couple moved to Seattle where Kelly is a Milton Fellow with Image Journal and teaching creative writing at Seattle Pacific University.

laura chrIStel laVallee horlINgS (’99) is continuing her efforts with Choctaw Bible Translation Committee as an exegete. Christel and husband Cal have one son Kinsley.

elizABetH HolMAn BusH (’98) wed Mr. Berkeley Bush on March 9 in Jackson, MS. The couple will reside in Alabama.

DeBrA JAMes-DeslAtte (’98), and her husband Paul, are expecting their first child later this year. They currently live in New Orleans. DAn MArKs (’97), the chief marketing officer for First Tennessee Bank, contributed a chapter to the book “Lessons from the Top: Leading CMOs Share Their Case Studies” on mobile banking and its effect on the systems


100 legAcies campaIgN

NoW haS oVer 60 MeMBers...will you Be nexT?

The goal of the 100 Legacies Campaign is to identify at least 100 friends who will establish gifts that will create a lasting legacy for future generations of Belhaven students. Larry Mills (’61), Assistant to the President, noted, “At this time, we have 60 members and hope to break 100 by the Fall of 2013.” Our prayer is that you will make Belhaven a part of your long-term estate plans. We also hope that the process of considering a planned gift will lead you to seriously review your future financial plans. Careful planning will assure excellent stewardship for your family and benefit the charities you care about the most. Mills explained, “People often think that making a planned gift is complicated …that’s simply not true! No matter your age or stage in life, it is easy to make a legacy gift to Belhaven through any number of options, including simple bequests, insurance policies or annuities, and trusts. We are happy to work with you and your financial advisor as you consider how you might include Belhaven in your estate plan.” Will you help us ensure Belhaven’s success in the years ahead? The impact of 100 or more planned gifts will create a legacy for years to come! Larry Mills can be reached at 601-968-8889 or [email protected].

00’s BrAD BAiley (’00) completed his PhD in Higher Education Administration at The University of Southern Mississippi in the summer of 2012. He is currently an instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. His wife, MAnDy lAnier BAiley (‘01), after being named Teacher of the Year for Forrest County School District in 2011, was encouraged to enter the Masters of Educational Leadership program at William Carey University. She is currently the professional development coordinator for Earl Travillion Attendance Center of the Forrest County School District.

PHil BAssett (’05) AnD cHristine roosMA (’06) BAssett had their second child, Leif Alexander Bassett, born on Oct. 10, 2012. Leif joins sister Naomi in the Bassett family.

MegAn Benson (’09) and her husband Phil Benson greeted their daughter, Melinda Nicole, on Nov. 6 2012.

JuliA cAllAHAn BrinKerHoFF (’07) serves with her husband in South America with SAMAIR, the aviation program with South America Mission. They work in the jungles of Pucallpa, Peru. Her husband is one of the two pilots in the program as they work side by side with others obeying God’s call to serve the people of Peru. colleen cHristie (’06) completed her Master’s in Education in Physical Education Pedagogy at the University of Idaho in May 2012.

stePHAnie eVAns (’08) of Jackson, received an award from Mississippi College School of Law during its annual Law Day ceremony. Evans was the recipient of the Fellows of the Young Lawyers of the Mississippi Bar Award, given to a student who exemplifies the qualities of leadership, academic achievement, service to the college community and the greater community.

PAul gunDy (’02) AnD Annie roBerts gunDy (’03) recently moved

DreW McMAHen (’00) spent almost half of last year hiking the Pacific Crest which begins at the US/Mexico border and ends 2,665 miles later at the US/Canada border. Drew gave up things such as his cell phone, internet access and daily showers, to walk it. After returning, he is settling in Medford, OR to explore opportunities in education and compile his adventures into a book.

Kyle MeDley (’09), after the position as assistant coach in charge of pitching at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, recently joined the Tennessee Tech baseball coaching staff. Medley arrives at Tennessee Tech to take the role of volunteer coach following experience as both an assistant and head coach at several different levels.

eriK Pinter (’03) married Natalie Rose Walden on December 22, 2012 in Jackson, MS. After the honeymoon, the couple will make their home in the Jackson Metro area.

sHerry oVerBy (’12) has been promoted to Vice President of Human Resources of Community Bank. She has been with Community Bank since 2001, starting as a teller and most recently as an assistant human resources officer.

MAllory rADWitcH (’11) and husband David welcomed their first child, Bryce Patrick Radwitch, on July 30, 2012.

sArAH loWMAn reynolDs (’08) and Charles Asa Reynolds were married September 15, 2012 in Jackson, MS. The couple now resides in Memphis where Sarah is a college guidance counselor at Southern Baptist Education Center and Asa is in general surgery at University of Tennessee Medical Center.

DAniel root (’01), and wife Elizabeth welcomed their second child, Michel Ellen Root in June of 2012. Michel joins big brother Simeon.

to Kosciusko, MS, where Paul is a General Dentist at Autumn Ridge Dental Clinic. Paul just finished 5 years serving as a dentist in the United States Navy. Annie stays at home with their 3 children, Averie Jane (6), Olivia (5), and Andrew (1) and teaches Tumble/Cheer classes at the local Christian school.

oliViA Mullins HAnsForD (’05), and her husband Robert have welcomed their first child, Elinor “Ellie” Hansford. She was born in February.

greg HAWKins (’05) AnD Kristy sMitH HAWKins (’05) are the proud parents of Joshua Lowell Hawkins, born on January 24.

PAul HoFFMAn (’10), a Blazers baseball player, was recently awarded with his CPA license at the Mississippi State Capitol Building in the fall of 2012.

roBert teD Jones (’10) and Rebecca Lee Regan were married on October 6, 2012 in Brandon, MS. The couple is residing in Ridgeland, MS.

tiM Jones (’03) and Virginia Turnage were married in April of 2012 on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The happy couple resides in Jackson, MS where Virginia practices law and Tim works with Carmax of Jackson.

susie PoytHress long (’06) AnD AAron long (’05) welcomed Quinten Aaron Long to their family in the summer of 2012. Aaron, Susie and Quinten make their home in Hoover, AL.

KirKlAnD rouser (’07) and wife Marie Hudson Rouser, welcomed Lilliana Rose Rouser on October 21, 2012.

JoHn sHAW (’07) AnD Britney WeBB sHAW (09’) welcomed son John Anthony Shaw III (Jase) into the world February 5, 2013. He weighed 7lbs, 3oz and was 20 inches long.

tHoMAs sHoFFner (’10) graduated from Mississippi College in December of 2012 with his Master’s of Science in Marriage and Family Counseling. He plans to teach psychology part time while working towards his LPC so that he can practice counseling and teach at the same time.

MeAgAn stocK (’07) welcomed a son, Kael Carter, on December 28, 2012. Meagan and Kael live in Saint Rose, LA.

VictoriA JelstroM sWilley (’10) is currently working on a short film entitled, “The Lesson.” This short film is a message film about bullying. It is produced by StandAlone Pictures and should be released this year.

clAire VicKery WAlDroP (’02) and husband Kevin welcomed baby Joseph to the family in March of 2012. Joseph joins his brother, Andrew, and sister, Mary Catherine, at home in Hattiesburg, MS.

SINgINg tree CeleBraTes 80Th

This past year marked the 80th anniversary of the Belhaven Singing Christmas Tree and to celebrate its long history, a special reunion choir of past Belhaven Christmas tree singers joined students for the 80th performance. Belhaven’s singing tree began in 1933 and is considered the first and oldest outdoor singing Christmas tree event in the country. Dr. Christopher Shelt, Professor of Voice, Church Music & Choral Activities said, “The 80th anniversary was a very significant milestone in Belhaven’s history and it hosted the largest group of singers on the tree that we have ever seen. Also, the Reunion Choir Singers and the O Holy Night Soloists made these performances extra special.” Today, a new 35-foot tall wood and metal tree structure holds up to 100 men and women singers. Christmas tree singers are surrounded by large strands of LED lights, which change colors in various patterns and sequences according to the character of each Christmas carol, creating a visual spectacle for the listeners. Its popularity is no surprise; it continually draws thousands of people each year. It was named one of the top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society.


i n memoriam

Allie coleMAn DAVis HolMes (’36) passed away January 31, 2013 in Lennox, MA.

MAry elizABetH FritH lunDy (’38) of Hattiesburg died October 30, 2012.

cAtHerine K. teixeirA (’38) passed away in her native California on October 23, 2012. aNNIe laurIe lIDDell murchISoN (’40) passed away September 23, 2012 in Alexandria.

louise n. goDWin (’40) died peacefully July 15, 2012 at her home in Tupelo, MS.

mary belle StepheNSoN Suber (’41) passed away November 22, 2012 in Ridgeland, MS.

FlorA Brice WArren (’42) passed away February 6, 2013 in Germantown, TN.

JoHnnie MArie FryMAn (’46) passed away January 17, 2013 in Elk City, OK.

eDWinA MAy PeAster (’49) of Brandon died January 18, 2013.

MAry Anne MArtin coMFort (’49) went to be with the Lord January 19, 2013 in Jackson, MS.

cHerie lAnDess (’50) passed away August 16, 2012 in Denham Springs, LA.

barbara clarIce balDWIN mIerS (’50) died at her home January 18, 2013 in Greenville.

JAne Dutton reynolDs (’51) of Miami passed away January 7, 2013.

MAry Joe WooDroW (’52) went to be with the Lord January 1, 2013 in Jackson, MS. mary KathryN mcNeIl blacKWooD (’54), a Natchez native, passed away on January 7, 2012.

eVelyn tAcKett (’56) passed away October 17, 2012 at her home in Jackson, MS.

rAcHel Ferrell leWis sHePHerD (’56) passed away in Richmond, VA, on October 3, 2012.

WilliAM eVerett (Bill) Mills, Jr (’60), a resident of Chattanooga, died December 11, 2012.

AlMA Bennett (’62) passed away October 18, 2012 in South Carolina.

tHoMAs r. PAtete (’64) longtime Executive Director of Great Commission Publications, went to be with the Lord on December 14, 2012.

susAn lee o’BryAn (’65) of Albuquerque passed from this life to the next on September 21, 2012.

susAn PeArson grAy (’70) passed away October 23, 2012 after a courageous battle with cancer.

ronAlD BAKer (’81) passed away June 13, 2012 in Lubbock, TX..

charleS h. “chucK” moNtgomery, Jr (’81) died July 11, 2012 in Seneca, SC

KAtHy Box WillArD (’96) lost her battle with breast cancer on October 31, 2012 in Jackson, MS.

lArry KeitH JoHnson (’00) passed away June 8, 2012 in Jackson, MS.

cArl stoKes (ADJunct ProFessor), passed away January 24, 2013.

WIllIam “bIll” bryaN (aDJuNct ProFessor), 65, died November 12, 2012 in Birmingham, AL.

See a perFormaNce toDay!WWW.belhaVeN.eDu/artS/ScheDule.htm

DaNce muSIc

VISual art theatre

creatIVe WrItINggraphIc DeSIgN

A B L A Z E

the tartaN StaFFDeSIgN aND eDItor-IN-chIeF| Bryant ButlereDItor| david sprayberryWrIterS| michael dukes, kirk mcdonnell, roger parrott, david sprayberryphotographerS| eileen allen lance Bowser, Bryant Butler, michael dukes, gretchen haien, matthew palfenier,Tom Roster, Bob Smith, David SprayberryalumNI NeWS| michael dukes, Beth whitney

aDmINIStratIoN roger parroTT| president of the universitydan FrederiCks| senior vice president, provostkevin russell| vice president for university advancementvirginia henderson| Chief Financial Officeraudrey kelleher| vice president of adult and graduate marketing and developmentsCoTT liTTle| Vice President for Student Affairs and athletics

boarD oF truSteeST. Calvin wells | Chairman of the Boardjimmy hood | vice Chairman of the Boardhugh poTTs, jr. | secretary of the Board

james m. Bateman, Forrest Berry, joel Bomgar, F. Bond Christie, Charles doty, F. earl Fyke, iii, stephen m. edwards, Brock hattox, doug hederman, Wayne Husband, Stuart Kellogg, Jay Kyle, Liza Looser, sean michael lucas, verne kennedy, virginia morris, leisha pickering, randy pope, iii, david rich, joseph stroble, gaines sturdivant, alan h. walters, dolphus weary, rick whitlock, mark windham, newt wilson, richard wilson, wirt a. yerger, iii, jerry young

emerItuSjames Baird, wilson Benton, jr., lee Breeland, william T. dawson, s. a. robinson, jr., william F. winter

Volume 125 | Issue No.1 • 2013

The Belhaven Tartan is published by Belhaven university, 1500 peachtree street, Box 158, jackson, mississippi, 39202 for distribution to alumni, parents of students, and friends of the university. please send alumni updates, address corrections, and other news to Belhaven Tartan, care of the above address. you can reach us by phone at 601-968-5930 or by e-mail at [email protected] or by fax at 601-968-8946. visit our web site at www.belhaven.edu. periodical postage paid in jackson, ms. posTmasTer: send address changes to Belhaven university, 1500 peachtree street, Box 158, jackson, ms, 39202.

26 — Belhaven universiTy TarTan / 2013 issue 1 [ www.Belhaven.edu ]

1500 Peachtree Street, Campus Box 158 Jackson, Mississippi 39202-1789

homecomINgreaDy For Next year?save The daTe oCToBer 26Th, 2013

(left to right) Thomas r. patete (’64)—Church service awardBonnie mcdonald grubbs (’08)— young alumnus of the year

F. stewart edwards (’92)— alumnus of the yearjane everly (’85)—Bettye Quinn education award

j. Thomas grantham, jr. (’71)—jim park Business award

HoMecoMing 2012

NON PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT No. 95JACKSON, MS

INSIDe - Belhaven

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